Rajani was the type whose mood was all over tha place, but drinking intensified it greatly. Her thoughts drifted to her foster parents, and how they could be in danger right now because of this civil war stuff, and that she shouldn't have left them alone after all...
She drank again, thinking hard, but continued singing morosely: "Such is the bread of an everyday life... From morning to noon, to shadowless night..."



(Lyrics courtesy of Flogging Molly, lol.)

He was done quickly. Much faster than any other women, only because he knew just how to handle them. He dismissed them and leaned back into his throne, satisfied again.

'I hope you enjoyed that...' he knew she had. She was almost as disgusting as he was.

"Guard!" a guard rushed into the room at his call, "I am retireing, please, send up Angela in...thirty minutes or so...I shall be ready for her then."

Angela...his favorite

'I did. I'm a sick, twisted girl." Artura's laughter rang through his head.

"Don't expect anything more...Angela isn't like that..."

He moved into his chmabers...lavish, expensive. He didn't have to undress, so he just layed down on his bed, enjoying the comfort of his sheets.

Some thirty minutes later, Angela came into his room.

"Angela...I need you..." he said, not even looking up.

"Okay...what is it you need..."

He sat up a little and looked at her. "I think there is something wrong with me..."

At this he forced Artura from his mind and shut it off. She was gone, and she could not come back.

"What is it..." she said gently.

"I think...I'm attracted to someone..."

She smiled. "What woman are you not attracted to my lord..."

He shook his head. "It is not that kind of attraction...I find her...more than just a tool. I fear I am in love, but I do not know how to tell her."

Artura blinked. Not many people could shut her off. She sat up and tilted her head up, letting her hair pool down onto her shoulders.

Rajani must be wondering about her...

Rajani's words became more and more slurred with each drink she took, and her notions became wilder. Visions of the poor farmers cropped up in her mind: stabbed, slashed, hacked, their blood soaking the floor and walls...

She whimpered feebly and the song broke.

Artura decided against going to her and instead started thinking of her father. He was somewhere, problably with a woman. Problably not remembering her...

She got up shakily after the comforting bottle was empty and, therefore, no longer comforting in the slightest. She was dizzy and tired, but the nightmarish visions refused to leave her be.

"Mum...Dad..." She stood, indecision flooding her.

Angela was gone, and he lay on his bed in distrest. She'd treid her best to help him, but it had done little to assuage his pain. He was not sure why he was feeling this. He'd only known her for two days...it wasn't possible that something like this could happen so quickly...but she was beautiful...and strong, and independant.

Yes...everything he wasn't.

He got up and looked out his window, taking in the brown/gray rooftops of his city. It was a cold place...empty...he wasn't even the real heir...just adopted...

He didn't know where he came from, just that he ruled his county with fear. He was suprised the others had never heard of him. He was known by many as "The One Winged Angel" because he was cruel and torutrous. They did not remember the sotries perhaps. It was no matter, they would remmeber eventaully. Someone would remember.

Artura grimaced slightly. Should she...

Yes.

'Father?' Her mind reached out tentavely and was instanlty overtaken.

'Yes, little one? You seem to be in distress. What ails you?'

'I... do not know.'

He was gone. The castle, the city he ruled...too much for him. He flew to the Gates of South Pass. He decided to scout out the area before returning to the group, though he had promied he wouldn't. It was best not to scare her.

He flew over the bitter mountain and dodged an arrow as it raged past his head, not intentionally aimed at him, but only a stray marker of a large conflict. Below he could see the small town of South Pass ablaze. It appeared the Demons were winning.

Artura felt him start to slip away. 'Father, wait. Where are you?'

No reply for awhile. 'It is not important, little one.'

He pulled away, and for the second time Artura was closed off.

He dropped down onto the ground and shot his wing out ward triumphantly, challenging anyone who wanted to attack him. Some twenty demon soldiers took his offer.

Artura felt drained. Her father had somehow taken her energy. She collapsed and drifted off into dreamless sleep.

Ella finally walked back into camp, looking rather odd with dry clothes and wet hair stuck to her. It made her look slightly like a drowned cat.

She was humming until she spotted Rajani and froze. Her eyes narrowed suspicisouly. "Okay, one of my friends better be the reason you're here. Because if you're one of Damian's spies..."